Schiit Mjolnir headphone amplifier - Page 135

Originally Posted by preproman 

 

 

This may be obvious to some.  So how about a good SE DAC vs. a good balanced DAC?  Or if a single DAC is considered good, which is better in that DAC SE or balanced?

Originally Posted by paradoxper 

Comes down to implementation as mentioned above. 

A well implemented DAC offering both SE and balanced should yield no difference regarding what output you choose to use. 

Originally Posted by preproman 

 

Well, I'm trying to take implementation out of the it - so if both are implemented very good?

Originally Posted by paradoxper 

That's a given, methinks.

 

If not, it would be clear, you'd pick the better implemented DAC whether it be SE or Bal.

 

 

Both DACs up to par, the Bal shouldn't have any advantage other than CMJ/lower distortion/power.

None of that necessarily equates to better sound...

Originally Posted by Solude 

Need noise to reject to benefit from its rejection ;)  Doesn't change that a good single ended DAC will get you better results than a bad balanced one.  Now if your source has both then ya its a no brainer.

Originally Posted by preproman 

 

 

Oh i may disagree here.  Lower distortion in theory should in fact equate to better sound if it's agreed that distortion = noise (jitter).

 

So the answer I'm trying to pull out is - if both DACs are implemented equally well.  The balanced DAC "in theory" should yield lower distortion thus produce a better sound because of lower jitter, if jitter = distortion here.

Originally Posted by paradoxper 

 

Sure, in theory. If the world worked out that way. :)

Originally Posted by Solude 

Need noise to reject to benefit from its rejection ;)  Doesn't change that a good single ended DAC will get you better results than a bad balanced one.  Now if your source has both then ya its a no brainer.

Originally Posted by preproman 


Oh i may disagree here.  Lower distortion in theory should in fact equate to better sound if it's agreed that distortion = noise (jitter).

So the answer I'm trying to pull out is - if both DACs are implemented equally well.  The balanced DAC "in theory" should yield lower distortion thus produce a better sound because of lower jitter, if jitter = distortion here.

Originally Posted by Chris J 


Not too sure if I'm following this........how does a DAC with a balanced output stage have less jitter?

Originally Posted by paradoxper 

That's a given, methinks.

If not, it would be clear, you'd pick the better implemented DAC whether it be SE or Bal.


Both DACs up to par, the Bal shouldn't have any advantage other than CMRR/lower distortion/power.
None of that necessarily equates to better sound...

Originally Posted by Chris J 


CMRR, lower distortion (assuming the balanced topology you choose leads to lower distortion), more power.............hmmmm, it all sounds good to me!

Originally Posted by paradoxper 

It seems as if the prep man think of noise/distortion as all being jitter...

Originally Posted by preproman 

 

Correct - If I'm wrong I hear by stand corrected.. 

Originally Posted by paradoxper 

You would be wrong at least half-way. Jitter has more to do with timing. Maybe you're thinking of jitter caused by EMI/crosstalk, etc.

Which could cause noise...